Ship



'-Oct. 2, 1945. (ik. HARRlsoN 2,385,985

ASHIP Filed April 15, 1944 I?, Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

/irrragM/EYS.

Oct. 2, 1945. y G. AFe. `HARRISON 2,385,985'

s'HIP A Filed April 13, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Il a novel manner.

` Patented Oct. 2, 1945 uurrlszoA STATES PATIN/Nr OFFICE Y N n i 2,385,925.j- I` l l George R. Harrson,`-Detroit, Mich. Y implication Alirn 13, 19i4,1seria1 No. 530,832

- 4 (claims. lol. i4-240) This invention relates to ,ships and hasfor-its u principal `object the provision of fa ship which isnot only resistant to rolling loutV is materially more resistant than conventional ship structures to the explosive effects of torpedoes r mines. l

' Objects of the inventionvinclude the provision ofa ship, and particularly a ship hull, having a sponson-like structure on eitherside-thereof of new and improved form andconstruction; the provision of a ship hull having air chambers extending along each side-'thereof .and.open.to the water along their lower edgesrthe provision of a ship hull having air chambers extendinglalong each side thereof extending to ai point above the 4water line and extending downwardly therefrom f' to a point adjacent the .bottom of the hull; the provision of a ship hull having awall spaced outwardly `from each side of the buoyant position of the hull and sealedto the` hull except along its lower edge at which it is -formedlto provide open communication of the space between it `and the boat hull proper with ther-.waterbelow the water` line; the -provisionaof aconstruction as above described in which the Wall members projectalong the sides of .the boat4 hull for substantially the full distancethereof; and the provision of a construction as 'above described of novel conformation and secured to the boathull l The above being among the objectsof the present invention, .the same` consists of, certain novel featuresof construction and "combinations of parts to be hereinafter described with referhirtherv minimizes the danger of a ship rolling ,over in a heavy sean` ence to the accompanying drawings, andwthen y claimed, having the above andl other objectszinJ view. l i

In the accompanying. awings which illustrate a suitable embodiment of the Vpresent invention and in which like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several different views, 1

Fig. `1 is a side elevational viewrof alshiprcon'- structed in accordance with;the presentinvention; I A- Fig. 2 is a broken plan view of the ship shown inFig.1; an.

Fig. 3 is a slightly enlarged stern view ofthe ship shown in the precedingviews, withv portions thereof broken` awayand shown in section to better illustrate the presentinvention;

Fig. 4 is anlenlarged transverse sectionalfview' of that portion of the ship shown in Fig: Brin y reluded within the circle 4 thereof;` f

6 -sectional view taken onthe line 6--6 of Fig. 3.

is an enlarged.-` fragmentary, vertical `.Because of the wars which we are now being engagedin there is a considerable amount of in- ;terestyinconnection with providing ships with `means toprevent, or minimize, damage thereto through being struck by a torpedo or from corn- `ingv in contact with amine. In one respect the presenti-invention hasa similar object, that is,

a construction which will minimize J the damage which a ship` would otherwise suffer from be- .ng struck by a torpedo or from striking a mine. Asfar as I amaware, structuresl heretofore l proposed to obtain the above described results includes means addedto a conventional ship hull which are substantially useless apartfrom their `intended purpose, and have `no other material ,advantagaotherwise being a useless appendage. The present invention has, in addition to its protectivefeature abovedescribed, an additional advantage which is of material importance regardlessofits protection against torpedoes or mines, and this feature is that additionally it provides 'a meansfor materially reducing the roll of a ship -ina sea and thereby rendering alpassenger carrying ship more comfortable for its passengers, a freighter more comfortable for its crew, and it upper portions thereof will, therefore, alwaysconftaini a. body of air, the lower portions thereof `willalwayscontain water.V They.` therefore, serve to some extent,in .the nature of sponsons, but otherwise have an eect that is materially different. l

vThe invention may be applied to ships in a variety of diiferent manners. For instance, a shipl may kbe. designed and constructed wherein the chambers of the present invention are provided by double sides, in which case the cham- `bers willnormally lie within the lateral confines of the ,deck and the appearance of the ship will be conventional. 0n the other hand, the chambers may be formedgseparately from the ship as separaterunits and thereafter be removably or 4permanently secured tothe ship in any suitable manner. On the other hand, these chambers may be formedby securing an additional and Broadly; the `present invention consists in pro- Aviding chambers` extendingalong each side of a a yship is shown, including a conventional hull illustrated at I0, conventionally provided with a' cabin I2, a conventionally supported and driven screw propeller I4 at its stern, Aand a conventional rudder IG conventionally mounted and In the particular case shown, the plates 2a are secured and sealed to each other through overlapping marginal edges indicated best at 3D in Fig. v4, which are suitably secured together as by means of welding, as shown, or by any other `suitable means. The marginal edges of the walls which are sealed to the hull may be welded thereto, as indicated at 32 in Fig. 4, or otherwise suitably secured thereto.

To further strength-.the walls 20 it is pre1- ferred'to extend plates34, best'` brought out in Figs. 2 and5, between each side of the hull I ll g. kand the wall 20 at intervals over the length of Athe chambers I8, such plates 34 preferably exl5 tending from the top to the bottom of such cham- Y Vbers and serving as transverse and preferably operated. In accordance with-the present in- Y .vention, a chamber I8 is formed along each side ofthe hull and over/substantially the full length thereof.suclichambersfas best brought Aout 'the --second sheet-of f the drawings, -are eachl preferably formed -by' mean's yof a preferably me- 'tallic wallindicatedgenerally at -20 arranged in :outwardly spaced/relation with-respect to each "-side of the'hull YI U-andf'extending from4 a point `above-the water line toi a' point adjacentthe botltorn -of-ithe hull;preferably-extending around the bilges `'toa poin't tpreferably-belowthe bottom of ethe hul 1,-as brought out in` Fig. -3. f The upper 'edgesot the walls 20 vare-Ibentlaterally inward- -lyi'nto contactin'grelationship with respect tothe sides-offthe'hullIIl andare-sealed thereto, as jar'ef alsothelforward andrear edges ofthe walls 20. The bottoni-off each chainberffis in open communication with' the water and although this -rnay-be accomplished by providing openings in -the walls 20 and securing the-lower edges of such uwalls-directlytothe-boat hull- IU,- in the construc- Ntioinf'shown-ltheloweredgeof'each wall 20 is Yspacedl almaterial 'distance from'V the Vcooperating 'sidelorbottonrwall offthe hull so as to provide an --opening of generous VVVproportions aiording con- Istant; open-fand vfree communication between the It-willbeappreciatedfromthe above that the upper portions' ofi the'Av chambers --I 8 will always have a material volume of air-entrapped therein and the -bottomportions of-the: Vchambers I8 will beflled withwater# to a greater or lesser extent. `Thelr'elativefamounts ofair andwater in each chamber `I8=fwill`, 'of course,vvary to a greater or lesser extent duelto inevitable leakage of air ffrorn-'ithelohambers I8 and-from variations in 'amount-fof air which mayinevitably infiltrate throughf-leaksirrthe walls 20- into thechambers I8,V-'o"r from the' openlbottomA ends of the chambers being' exposed Ydirectly tothe air when the =ship pitches-for rolls -inv heavy` sea.V A "In the particulariconstruction shown, the wall 2l) is made up of a plurality of metallic plates such as 20a iwhic'h'are corrugated inthe directionof`v the `length ofdthe hull as shown, these fcorrug'ations being provided primarily to impart rigidity and stiffnessto the wall-'20 so as to enable thinner and, therefore, .lighter gage of material to beV employedtherein than would Votherwise be possible and still impart the necessary .strengthto' .the structure to serve its intended purposes.; Thecorrugations 20a are, of course, extendinglongitudinally in approximate Vparallelism with the water line of the ship in orfder to minimizetth'el drag created by the application-of the-invention to a ship Y i 'interiors of thefchanibers I8 and the Waterrbelow YM Ynesses. shown as being split up into Ytwo thicknesses by 'means of an intermediate .wall 36shown as be- :ing lpositionedf. approximately midway. between Aeach wall 20 and .the cooperating side of the hull -I and-extending.' from a point above the water water-tight bulkheads dividing each chamber I8 into a plurality of longitudinally separate subchambers or compartments. y The plates or bulkheads 31Iv are preferably not arranged in per- Vpendicularrelationship with respect tothe corresponding side of'the hull I0 but rather, and

as brought out in Fig. 5I at an angle thereto, this being` for the purpose of providing a connection between the sides 'of the hull I0 and the Walls 20 that will-more readily yield upon impactior under pressure, orf-from any other force tending to displacea wall 20 with respect to its Ycorresponding side ofthe hull I (I. The plates or bulkheais 34, eventhough they are not completelysealed to both the sides of the hull I0 and tothefcorresponding wallA 20, serve to prevent longitudinal surge of vwater in the chambers I8,

and whenv sealed from each other. it will be appreciated that the puncturing of one or more of the compartmentsformed between them will not destroy the usefulness of the remainder thereof.

i Particularly `where the provision of the chambers I8'are of importance from the standpoint of protection against torpedoes or mines, itis further desirable to' split that portion of each chamber AI 8 belowY the water line into two-or bore thick- In4 the drawings each chamber I8 is line to a point adjacent the bottomlofLthe chamber I8. vInthe kparticulancase shown, the walls 36 are'composed of plates fitting between adjacent 'plates Vor bulkheadsf34'and sealed at their ends Vthereto as by-means of welding. or'the like.'

From a protection standpoint against.' torpedoes or mines, it will be appreciated that a torpedo or mine Ashould strike one of the walls 2l!v it will be below the water line thereof and in exploding -will rupturethewalll 20v in the -area surrounding the exp1osion.1 The.explosionwilldrivethe water in the adjacent compartments in each chamber I8 both upwardly'and downwardly, andlth'efforce of -the water being. driven upwardly will be cushioned by the air in the upper parts of the chamber I8, and the waterwhich is driven Y,downwardly will be expelled freely out of the open lower end of such chamber. Theffect of the displacement of the water in theA aiected ychambers in such case will be to .cushionanddissipate the force'of the explosionand minimize if not prevent damage to .th'e corresponding sidev of theboat. hull I0. The

protective efect'of the chambers willbe4 increased according to the number oflayers provided. thereinby means. oiintermediay walls suchas 36 and gmay' belvariedjto someextent by varying the spacing of the lower edges of the walls 20 from` the hull, or otherwise, so as to vary the resistance to the escape of water from the compartments I8 under such circumstances.

The construction described, however, is believed to have an additional and possibly a more important advantage than the protection afforded as above described, and, as previously suggested, this is in connection with damping the rolling motion of a ship. In this connection, it will be appreciated than in a sea as a wave of water rises on one side of the ship it will tend to lift such side of the ship and depress the opposite side thereof, thereby to produce a roll. Where such ship is constructed in accordance with the present invention, the side of the ship which tends to thus lift tends to carry with it the bulk of the water contained in the chamber I8 in the corresponding side of the ship, thus producing, in effect, an added weight to this side of the ship tending to oppose the rolling action. The air in the chamber I3v on this side of the ship will be trapped in the chamber but will be compressed as the wave rises around it. At the same time, the opposite side of the ship which tends to roll downwardly into the water tends to raise the level of the water in the corresponding chamber I8, this rise in level being resisted by the air in the upper portion of the chamber which, while being somewhat reduced by the pressure of the water thus tending to rise in it, will still remain a substantial volume acting in the nature of a sponson on such side of the ship and affording increased buoyancy to this side of the ship as it is depressed in the water.

When the ship tends to roll in .the opposite direction in reaction to the roll thus produced, the side tending to roll out of the water will be resisted in such tendency by the volume of watertrapped in its corresponding chamber I8 and from which the outward flow Will be resisted by a reduction in pressure of the air in the upper part of the chamber, producing a negative pressure acting over the cross-sectional area of the chamber tending to draw it downwardly. Similarly a positive pressure will be produced in the chamber I8 on the opposite side of the ship also resisting the roll. Thus the water tending to ow out of one chamber and the added buoyancy and pressure provided-by the air in the other chamber cooperate to resist the rolling movement of the ship and serve to materially reduce such rolling movement. This serves as an effective damping means on the rolling motions of a ship, these being the movements which are both disagreeable to the passengers and the crews of a ship, and at the same time it minimizes the danger of capsizing of a ship in unusually heavy seas.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim by Letters Patent is:

1. A ships hull having a chamber extending along each side thereof over the major proportion of the length thereof and extending from a point above the water line thereof to a point adjacent the bottom thereof, said chambers being sealed against the escape of uid therefrom except adv,jacent the lower edges thereof and being in open mediate the inner and outer walls thereof and fixed with respect thereto. Y

2. A ships hull having a chamber extending along each side thereof over the major proportion of the length thereof and extending from a point above the water line thereof to a point adjacent the bottom thereof, said chambers being sealed against the escape of fluid therefrom except adjacent the lower edges thereof and being in open communication with the water adjacent such lower edges, and a longitudinally extending wall in the lower part of each said chamber intermediate the inner and outer walls thereof and terminating short of the upper edge thereof, the lastmentioned wall being fixed with respect to said hull.

3. In a ships hull, in combination, a Wall arranged in outwardly spaced relation with respect to each side of said ship over a major portion of the length thereof, the upper and forward ends of said walls being sealed to said ship whereby to form a chamber between each of said walls `and the corresponding side of said ship, the lower edges of said chambers being open to the water, a plurality of vertically directed bulkheads arranged in longitudinally spaced relation with respect to eachother sealed to each of said walls and the corresponding side of said ship whereby to provide a plurality of chambers over the length of each of said walls each sealed with respect to g outwardly or inwardly with respect to the correspending sides of said hull whereby to reduce the strain of such movement on said walls and sides.

4. In a ships hull, in combination, a wall arranged in outwardly spaced relation with respect to each side of said ship over a major portion of the length thereof, the upper and forward ends of said walls being sealed to said ship whereby to form a chamber between each of said walls and the corresponding side of said ship, the lower edges of said chambers being open to the water, a. plurality of vertically directed bulkheads arranged in longitudinally spaced relation with respect to each other sealed to each of said walls and the corresponding side of said ship whereby to provide a plurality of chambers over the length of each of said walls each sealed with respect to its adjacent chamber except at its lower end, such bulkheads comprising plates each directed at an angle of less than with respect to the plane of that portion of the side of the ship to which it is secured and all inclined in the same direction.

GEORGE R. HARRISON. 

